UAE: Emirates Steel Arkan has concluded a partnership for the deployment of Finland-based Magsort’s technology in steel slag processing at its Al Ain cement plant. ZAWYA News has reported that the partners expect the technology to help reduce the plant’s limestone and fuel consumption. This will reduce its CO2 emissions by 15%.
Emirates Steel Arkan CEO Saeed Ghumran Al Remeithi said "Green solutions such as this will help decarbonise the sector's value chain."
US: The Department of Transportation has announced a US$5m initiative to investigate the use of steel slag in cement and concrete. This will take the form of a collaboration between the Department of Transportation and a selected US-based steel producer and university partner. The initiative seeks to reduce CO2 emissions in the production of building materials. Prospective participants may view the grant opportunity here.
Transport secretary Pete Buttigieg said "We're proud to make this funding available to help develop the next generation of construction materials so that the future of our transport infrastructure is more resilient, more sustainable and made in America.”
Robert Hampshire, deputy assistant secretary for research and technology and chief science officer, said “This funding initiative will develop and advance innovative materials and technologies that support the nation’s goals to decarbonise the transportation sector by 2050, strengthen resilience of the nation’s transportation infrastructure, and address adverse environmental impacts created by the transportation system.”
Spain: Heidelberg Materials and construction firm Viuda de Sainz plan to open a construction and demolition waste (CDW) recycling and slag grinding plant in Güeñes, Basque Country. The plant, called Harri Green, will be situated in Heidelberg Materials' existing Zaramillo limestone quarry. It processing capacities will be 140,000t/yr CDW and 20,000t/yr steel slag, with which it will produce aggregates. The cost of the plant is Euro2m.
Malaysia/Singapore: Pan-United Corporation has signed a new contract with renewable power provider Cleantech Solar. With the support of Keppel, Keppel Asia Infrastructure Fund and Shell Singapore, the partners will install 900 solar panels at Pan-United Corporation sites, including its Johor slag grinding plant in Malaysia. The building materials producer is executing the project as part of an existing three-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Shell Singapore for the decarbonisation in the built environment. Commissioning of Pan-United Corporation’s new solar power capacity is scheduled later in 2024.
Pan-United Corporation CEO May Ng said “We are delighted that our partnership with Shell has advanced our efforts to adopt renewable energy solutions, which are crucial in reducing our operational carbon emissions. Industry partnerships to leverage collective strengths is a sure way to decarbonisation. Solar deployment in collaboration with Cleantech Solar supports our efforts in contributing to the sustainability goals under the ‘Energy Reset’ pillar of the Singapore Green Plan 2030 and brings us closer to our sustainability target of becoming a carbon-neutral ready-mix concrete company by 2050.”
